Peer-to-peer industry damages national security and should be regulated

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns made a statement on Wednesday that the government needs to adopt a proper legislation to regulate companies that provide online file-sharing services. He explained the urgency of such regulation by a number of cases when people managed to access FBI files, medical records and Social Security numbers through such services.

During a hearing on the safety of peer-to-peer software Towns said that he was astonished at privacy breaches involving LimeWire, operated by the Lime Group. Via LimeWire people have been able to access FBI files, medical records, Social Security numbers and even a file containing information about a safe house location for President Barack Obama and his family.

Towns stated that he plans to introduce a corresponding bill that would prohibit unsecure, open network, peer-to-peer software from all government and contractor computers and networks. He said that he plans to talk to the new FTC chairman to request that the agency investigate whether inadequate safeguards on file sharing software such as LimeWire constitute an unfair trade practice. Besides, Towns also added that the Federal Communications Commission should examine the peer-to-peer industry.